Wind-actuated valve-closure mechanism



Feb 12, 1929. 1,701,857

E. KRAUSE I r WIND ACTUATED VALVE CLOSURE MECHANISM Filed April 5, 1928 illiE Elframs A TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

.UNITED. STATES ERIGH KRAUSE, or sown JAMAICA, NEw'Yonx.

WIND-AGTUATED VALVE-CLOSURE MECHANISM.

Application filed April 5, 1928. Serial No. 267,603.

The main object of this invention is to provide a valve mechanism which is completely automatic and is adapted to operate by closing a valve when a flame is extinguished by wind or by a liquid which boils over on a gas burner or the like. The device is adapted to be set in operation by the unbalancing of a bar which projects a ball into a runway and releases a weighted plunger to operate the valve.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve operating mechanism having for its purpose the closing of the valve when the flame is extinguished by either Water or wind. Operation of the valve is accomplished by a balancing bar upon which a ball is poised, and this balancing bar is tilted to unseat the ball by water or by the ro'tationof a wind vane.

The above and other objects will become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view through a gas range showing the valve in open position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the counter weight of the balancing bar showing the guide rails mounted thereon.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates a platform which forms part of the gas range. The side walls 11 and 12 support a drain board 13 above the platform 10. This drain board has an opening 14; formed therein. Above the drain board a gas flow pipe 15 is provided. This gas flow pipe 15 leads to a source of supply and has a valve 16 provided thereon whose stem 17 is rotated by a bell crank which has a normally inclined arm 18 and a horizontal arm 19, the latter having formed at its extremity a finger ring 20. The drain board has a cylinder 21 depending from its lower side and in this cylinder a weighted plunger 22 is slidable. The weighted plunger is suspended from the normally inclined arm 18 of the bell crank by a cable 23 and is yieldably urged downwardly by a coiled spring 24. which is enclosed in the cylinder and seats upon said plunger. A

' triangular support block 25 is seated on the platform 10 and serves as a means for supporting a balancing bar 26 intermediate its length. This balancing bar has a cup 27 mounted thereon, which cup is located immediately below the opening let of the drain board. A weighted ball 28 is nor mally seated on one end of the balancing bar and, when the latter is tilted, is adapted to be projected from said bar and pass down a runway 29 and into a chute 30. The wall 31, separating the chute 30 from the cylinder, has a slot 32 therein in which is pivotally mounted a lever 33 which is adapted to project into the bore'34 of the cylinder and have a weighted plunger 22 seated thereon. The opposite end of this lever 33 is adapted to project into the chute 30 and be engaged by the ball member 28 as the latter passes the position of the lever. The opposite end of the balancing bar 26 has a threaded stud 35 thereon upon which an adjustably positioned counter weight 36 is located. This counter weight 36 has resilient upwardly curved guide fingers 37 mounted thereon .which are adapted to be engaged by arms 38 and 39 which extend radially from a pivoted wind vane 40. This wind vane 40 extends outwardly beyond the gas range and is adapted to be actuated by a current of air.

The illustrated device is adapted to clos a valve either upon boiling over of a liquid or upon the extinguishment of a flame by wind. by wind, the wind is strong enough to rotate the wind vane 40 in either direction.

As the wind vane is rotated in one direction either of the arms 38 or 39 comes in contact with one of the guide fingers 37 and contact between these two members causes the counter weight 36 and that end of the balancing bar to which the counter weight is attached to be lifted. This tilts the opposite. end of the balancing bar 26 downwardly and unseats the ball 28. The ball will drop upon the runway. 39 and then roll into the chute 30 in which said ball comes in contact with the projecting end of the lever 33, retracting the opposite end of the lever which projects into the bore 34 of the cylinder and releases the weighted plunger 22 to permit the latter to fall downwardly in the cylinder 21 and rotating the arm 18 of the bell crank from the position shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, thereby rotating the valve stem 17 and closing the valve. In this man ner the valve is instantly closed as the flame is extinguished by the wind. Should a If the flame is to be extinguished cause actuation of the Weighted liquid'iboil rover-and theflame be extinguished; the'valveis also operable to reinove any danger of asphyxiation. The balancing bar 26 is so sensitively balanced that a few drops of liquid which drops into the cup 27 Will have an over-balancing 'eiiect upon the bar 26 and Will uns'eat the ball '28 from the end of the'balancing bar; This boiled-over liquid will drain towardthe opening 14 and drop through-the latter into the cup eighting thisendofthe balancing lever and thereby unseating the ball to previously, described. I V a,

It is tobenQted that certain changes in forlnand construction may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention," w

,1. In device of the class described,-a

"va1ve,a rotatable bell crank openingand clos liquid fromsaid drain board, and Wind op-y erated means for tilting. said balanced lever to unseat said ball." v

2. In a device? of the class. describecha valve, a rotatable bell crank opening and closing said valve, said bell crank being in nor'mallyopen position, a weighted plunger suspended-from said bell. crankfa latch 1e ve'r retaining'said bell crank in raised' pos-is tion, a Weighted ball adapted to. engageisaid latch leverlto release said plunger, a balanced bar,-a"drain board having an openingtherein mounted aboveisaid lever a cup on said balanced 1 lever adapted toflcollec't liquid from said drain board,a counter plungen aseight on the balanced leveropposite to saidweightedfball, fingers on said counter Weight, and means en aging said fingers to lifts-a d counter We ght and balanced le-- ver to unseat said'ball; I v

in a ,device of the class described, a

valvqa rotatable bell crank opening and said valve,- said bell crank being in norunu iy open position, a Weighted plunger suspended from ,s'aid bell crank, a'lzitchlever retaining" aid bell crank in raised position, a wveigned ball adapted to; engage said,latchflevertogrelease said plunger, a

balanced bar, ardrain boardhaving an opening th'ereiumounjted above said lever, acup on said balanced lever adapted to collect liquidl troingsaid drain board, a counter Weight on the balanced lever opposite to said Weighted ball, fingers on said counter Weight, pivoted Wind vane, and means movable with said Wind vane engaging either one or'the otherot said fingers to lift said counter weightzand balancing bar to l. In: a device of the class described,'a

valve a rotatable bell crank opening and closing said valvefsaid bell crank being in normally open position, a Weighted' plunger, pended from: said bell crank, a-

latch lever retainingsaid bell crank in raised. position; a Weighted ball adapted to engage said latch lever to release said piunger, a balanced barya' drain board hav- 111g an opening therein 'niounted-abcve' said lever-f1v cup onsaid balanced lever adapted to collect liquid troin said drain'board, a

v .Wcight on the balanced iever opposite to said weighted ball, fingers onsaid counter Weighn'a' pivoted Wind-vane; arms radiatii'ig fromsaid Wind vane engaging said iingersjtolitt said counter Weight and baiancingbar ta unseat said-ball.

Intestimo'ny whereof" I aiiix my signature.

Eiucn KRAUSE; 

